Concurrence

by KM Fortune

  “No,” Raven answered The Duke’s proposal and braced herself for his reaction. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him tightly grip the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.

  “No? Just like that?” The Duke said softly. He sounded surprisingly more hurt than angry. Raven shook her head.

  “I hope you can understand, but I do not want to be your wife,” she explained.

  "I see. Even though I could give you anything you ever wanted?" he asked now starting to sound a little angrier. I doubt that, Raven thought as she recalled a glimpse of her former life.

  “I am sure you would try,” she answered. “I think maybe it is time we head back. I want to check on the others.” Without a word, The Duke started up the cart. He turned them back toward the heart of the city.

  “You realize this means I will insist your guy fight my champion tonight?” The Duke threatened.

  Raven took a deep breath. She understood. She hated it, but one fight was not worth marrying The Duke over. “But will you at least promise me it will be a fair fight?” she asked. The Duke snorted.

  "Fair? Of course. We don't run a crooked house. May the best man win," he said. Not liking the tone of his voice, Raven looked at him and saw a slight smile on his lips. The fight might be fair regarding the rules, but she had no doubt The Duke's champion would be nearly invincible. Matthew could get badly hurt. She had faith in Matthew and knew he was smart, but fighting was another matter. Practice hard, Matthew, she thought yet could not help but worry.

  Kit sat watching from the corner. The five men, two of whom she had never met, plus Blaze and the skinny janitor Howie, bickered at the center of the room. Matthew, the scientist from the Great Cave, stood in the middle. The conversation was about the best means of fighting The Duke's champion. When Blaze asked Howie for details, the stranger had shaken his head sympathetically. "He's as good as they come," he said and glanced around before leaning in to whisper. "Some say he's maybe better than The Duke was back in the day."

  “So what kind of fighting is it?” one of the blonde men Kit did not know asked.

  “Like with weapons?” said the other. Howie shook his head again.

  “No weapons,” he said. “Just man against man. Punching, kicking, wrestling. I mean, you can’t bite or pull hair, or anything like that. After all, this is a gentleman’s battle.” Kit rolled her eyes. The whole thing sounded ridiculous. Especially when the group’s champion was Matthew. She did not know much about the man, but she was a good read of character, and he seemed like the last person you would want beside you in a fight. Although I will give him credit, she thought as she looked at his face. He doesn't seem scared. Maybe he just doesn't know any better? Regardless, she figured Matthew had no chance to win the fight. Kit knew Raven liked Matthew and so hoped the damage was not too severe, but either way, it did not matter to her. If she had it her way, the group would go find the weapons they needed, steal them, and then get out of the strange city. She considered taking this task on herself, but Raven had explicitly asked her to help the guys, so she stayed. Not that I am helping much.

  The problem was, no one in the group had a clue about one-on-one fighting, yet each man was trying to give advice. “I say just grab him and hold on for dear life,” said one twin.

  “No, you going to want to kick him in the head,” said the other.

  Blaze looked frustrated. "Yeah, right. How about we keep this simple, and he just punches him in the face?" he said. At this point, Howie laughed.

  “You’ll not even lay a finger on him,” he said. The men all whirled on him.

  “So what do you suggest?” asked Matthew, the only one who was staying calm.

  “Cover your head with your arms and hope not too many bones get broken,” Howie said. It sounded like excellent advice to Kit. “Frankly, I am surprised any of you have lived this long. I’ve never seen a more pathetic group.” Whoa now, Kit thought, not liking the insult. The others did not either, and now there was shouting. Howie was backing away with his hands up to show he was not looking for trouble. Well then he should have kept his mouth shut. With that thought, Kit sprang up and raced across the room. Her cloak flapping, she slipped past her friends before they even noticed she was there. Howie's eyes widen with alarm the second before she jumped. Since he was much taller, her left foot landed on his hip, and using it for leverage, Kit brought up her right knee and clubbed him on the side of the head. There was a crunch, and the skinny man dropped. Kit rode him to the floor and then rolled off into a combat stance, hands up, ready for more. It was not necessary. The janitor was out cold.

  Matthew stepped forward while the others stood speechless. "Kit, we don't have much time. I need you to train me with one or two moves like that," he said. "Please." Kit tilted her head as she looked him over. Everyone waited for her. Should I help this man? An ex-Patrol? she wondered. Raven and even Blaze seemed to trust him now. After another moment of deliberation, Kit shrugged.

  “You’ll do it?” Blaze asked. Kit nodded and the twins let out a whoop of excitement.

  “Now we have us a fight!” said one.

  "Oh yeah, their champ won't know what hit him," said the other. Kit looked at them, still not sure what to make of the two blonde strangers. They were undoubtedly enthusiastic about things and stood grinning at her. Unable to help herself, she gave them a rare smile back before turning to Matthew. It was time to get to work.

  Daylight was fading as Willow moved cautiously through the snow. They were in among the trees now, and she was ever vigilant against any sign of wolves. The soldier was still tethered to her, but she was no longer pulling him reluctantly along. She was not sure if he also knew they were at the edge of the territory where predators hunted or if he only sensed her extra alertness, but he was distinctly more cooperative. Although still not forthcoming with answers, she thought. After the revelation he knew about the little girl Willow was trying to save, Willow had a hundred questions, yet no matter how much she peppered him, he remained silent. Still, his original response gave her hope. Now it was a matter of convincing him one way or another to help her get inside.

  She knew from her earlier recognizance, the North Gate to the Great Cave was not far ahead. Approaching would be tricky though. The last thing she wanted was to give the old soldier a way to escape by alerting any guards. I can always use him for leverage, she thought. Hold my rifle on him and force them to let me pass. Still, she knew once inside, it was unlikely she would be able to avoid being surrounded. Even if she found the girl, escape would be almost impossible. As if reading her mind, her hostage spoke up. “This will never work,” he said. Willow paused her steps and turned back to him.

  “I have to try,” she said. “I owe her that.”

  The man nodded thoughtfully and looked off into the trees. "I think she always knew someone would come for her," he said almost to himself. Willow was confused. It seemed so unlikely a soldier, apparently one of considerable rank, would know anything about the child.

  “How do you know so much about Mouse?” she asked. The man turned back to her and blinked. A look of confusion crossed his face.

  “Who’s Mouse?” he asked. Now it was Willow’s turn to be confused. Maybe we are not talking about the same little girl, she thought. It was impossible. Children were too rare.

  “The little dark-haired girl. Her name is Mouse,” she said.

  “Ahhh,” the soldier said. “I remember now. She did have another wastling name. It is Hannah now. The Creator thought it was more appropriate.” Wastling? The Creator? Willow thought, not liking the sound of any of it.

  "What are you talking about?" Willow asked, but before the man could answer, voices could be heard through the trees. Willow froze. A group of the Patrols was nearby. She had no doubt they were out looking for her hostage. All the man would have to do was shout. Willow unslung her rifle. There was no way she was going down without a fight. The soldier stared at her as the sound of the men approaching grew loud
er. He looked conflicted. Does he not want to be rescued? Or is he afraid he would be the first to die? Willow wondered as she crouched down in the snow. To her surprise, the soldier crouched down too and did not take his eyes off her.

  CHAPTER 11

  The atmosphere in the room was electric. Blaze had never seen so many people gathered together in one space. Although the venue was large, and only the front half of the rows of seats were filled, there were hundreds of people in attendance. Dangerous and mean looking people to boot, Blaze thought. Everyone was armed, but that was the only theme to the audience. Otherwise, it was a menagerie of looks and sizes. Some wore all black leather, others were covered in furs similar to his own, while even more had almost nothing on. Particularly the women. It was all Blaze could do to not stop and stare at the bare-chested female prancing around in the front row to the catcalls of a group of onlookers. Toby and Brody did not do as well, and Blaze had to push them from behind to get the blonde men moving toward the cage again. As they reached the gate, Toby turned to Blaze wide-eyed. "Did you see that?" he asked.

  “She was naked!” Brody said.

  "I saw it," Blaze said. "But you better close your mouth before one of those men see you and decide it's insulting." The brothers nodded and did as they were told. "Now get your head in the game," Blaze continued. "Matthew's coming out any second." Just as he said so, the room's lights dimmed, and music started to play. It was loud and like nothing Blaze had ever heard. The rest of the crowd knew it though. Everyone in the room jumped to their feet and started to roar with approval. Turning to look in the direction people were cheering, Blaze watched as The Duke walked down the aisle toward the cage. He nodded and bowed as he went. The people love this guy, Blaze thought as men and women alike tried to touch him as he strolled past. When he reached the cage, he stepped inside and raised his arms to quiet the crowd.

  “Ladies and gentleman, I have a special treat for you tonight,” he said once the noise had quieted. “A new challenger. But not just any wanderer from the wasteland. No.” He paused for dramatic effect as a murmur of curiosity went through the crowd. Slowly, The Duke turned to point at the top of the aisle he just walked down. “May I present to you the challenger. Formally of the black and gray.” Blaze looked and saw Matthew coming toward the cage. Kit and Raven walked with him. Immediately the audience hissed and booed with a vengeance and Blaze sensed they were about to surge in and attack. Raven! he thought with concern, but The Duke was ahead of him. A shot rang out, and Blaze jumped. The room fell silent, and all eyes turned back to the center of the room. The Duke stood with his arm raised, his old colt revolver in his hand. A wisp of smoke rose from it. "Let them pass," he snarled. "First man who spits, answers to me."

  Matthew's heart was racing as he walked between the two women toward the cage. No matter how slow and deep he kept his breathing, the adrenaline was overwhelming. Scanning the room, he saw angry, hateful faces everywhere. The fact The Duke's threat kept them at bay was example enough of the city leader's influence. There were other distractions though, Matthew noticed. Betting had begun in earnest. Men and some women yelled out to announce odds for the fight. People shook paper in the air to bet it. Matthew could not tell for sure, but it seemed the room was not wagering on if he would win, but how long he might last. Reasonable, Matthew thought as he tried to distract himself with logic thinking. Even though he had yet to see him, Matthew knew he stood no chance against The Duke’s champion. Kit’s help would not be wasted as he believed it would work to make the fight enough of a show to please The Duke. Hopefully enough to keep me in one piece too.

  They reached the cage and stopped. The Duke stood at the gate and was grinning. “Well, you get points for showing up,” he laughed. “Now step right up here and let’s move this along.” Matthew paused. He looked to Kit on his right. She nodded up at him. There was no way to tell what she was thinking, but one message had come through abundantly clear during their training. Keep moving. It was Matthew’s strategy for certain. Next, Matthew turned to Raven. Her face was filled with concern. “Please be careful, Matthew,” she whispered. “Just put on a show and then we can be done with this.” Matthew smiled to reassure her.

  "I will," he said. "Now, I guess I better get in there." Before he could take a step, Raven leaned into him and kissed him hard on the lips. Matthew felt it to his toes, and the crowd went berserk. The wagering renewed with gusto, but Matthew ignored it all. At that moment, nothing mattered but Raven. She pulled away far too soon.

  “For luck,” she said. All Matthew could do was nod.

  “Awww, did you all see that?” The Duke yelled to the crowd interrupting the moment. “We have ourselves a little romance here.” The audience ate it up and The Duke laughed. He looked at Matthew. “Get yourself in the ring, Loverboy,” he snarled and stepped aside while Matthew took a deep breath before stepping into the cage.

  Hector, with Helen close behind him, ran through the twilight. Even though the light was fading quickly, the two of them had no trouble navigating around fallen logs or other obstacles. One of the perks of night vision, Hector thought as they crossed a rutted road and around the debris from a long-ago wreck. Looking back at it, he reconsidered going onward. The abandoned hulk of a van, although rusted out badly, was still intact enough to provide some shelter from the cold night. Even with warm traveling clothes and thick hides, it was never fun to sleep on the ground out in the elements.

  Slowing, Hector looked around. They were miles to the south from the hidden valley now. It was not the direction he might have initially set out, but after discovering a squad of Prince Edward's soldiers was patrolling the area to the north, it was the best option. "What is it?" Helen said coming to a stop beside him and scanning the terrain. "Did you see something?"

  “No,” he answered. “Nothing actually. I think we’ve moved fast enough to lose them for now. I’m sure our scent will be easy for them to follow later, but I don’t think even Edward’s gang will try to follow us too closely in the dark.” Helen nodded her agreement.

  “So, do you want to sleep here then?” she asked. He looked at her and had no doubt she was tired although she was trying hard not to show it. Unlike him, who roamed the high desert for years, she was cooped up in the palace. Running for her life through the night was probably not part of her regular exercise program, he thought with a small smile.

  “I think stopping here will work. I can go hunt us down something to eat if you want,” Hector offered. Helen took his arm and moved in close.

  "No," she said. "I don't want us to be separated. Not tonight. Let's just get some rest." Hector slid his arm around her and pulled her tight against him. He kissed the top of her beautiful, silver-furred head and felt her purr into his chest.

  “You’re right. Let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow we can figure out our next move,” he said.

  “Any idea what it might be?” she asked quietly. Hector sighed.

  “Not exactly. All I know is we need help if we are going to seize our kingdom from Edward,” he answered.

  “But who?” she asked. Hector squeezed her harder, hoping to reassure her, as he looked off into the night. Who indeed, he thought.

  “I have an idea,” he answered with more confidence than he felt. His mind turned to Raven. She was good and brave and, most import, just. When she heard Prince Edward was going to be king, she would want to do something about it. Wouldn’t she? he wondered. Hector had to hope she would, but for now, he had a more difficult task. Finding the woman who could be anywhere.

  CHAPTER 12

  Gabriel watched the group of men from the Patrols pass. At one point, he could have pegged them with a snowball if he chose to do so. It was a tough decision, but at the last second, he decided to wait. Now that they were descending into the growing nightly gloom, he questioned his motives. The woman who ambushed him apparently had an agenda to get into Eden and find Hannah. There was no way she would succeed. Unless … Gabriel thought and then shook his head.
It was a sin to even contemplate helping. The question in his mind was if the little girl truly needed saving. She was bonding with The Creator in ways far beyond Gabriel’s simple understanding. She knows The Creator’s childhood name is Brian for crying out loud. Yet, a part of Gabriel was not sure the closeness was in the child's best interest. If only he knew the long-term plan The Creator had for Hannah, but then he bowed his head and acknowledged to himself it was not his place to question his Maker. I made a mistake. I should have called out. The girl could not be safer if The Creator watched over her. But what about Samuel? The thought made Gabriel uneasy. His colony brother hated the child, even though to hate was a sin. There simply was no other word for how Samuel looked at Hannah and maneuvered to make her life difficult. If the little girl needed rescuing, it was from him. All of which led Gabriel back to being conflicted. Before he could puzzle out what to do next, the woman came closer to him. "Why did you do that? Why were you silent?" she asked in a hiss. Gabriel understood her confusion. He did not have a clear answer himself.

  "I want to take you to see Hannah," he finally admitted, puffing out a frustrated breath. "But storming the North Gate will only get us both killed." He watched a mixture of emotions cross the woman's face. She was surprised by his answer, but wary as well. Plus, he could tell she was not used to being told outright she was wrong in her plan to take an aggressive approach. After a moment, she gathered herself and nodded. As much as he did not want to be, he was impressed when she did not argue and was ready to listen.

  “So what is the best approach?” she asked.

  Gabriel knew his next sentence might be his last. If the woman, who was clearly not like the other waste people he had encountered, took his statement the wrong way, she would surely shoot him. Regardless, it was the only feasible option. Deciding his best approach was to be straightforward, he lifted his chin and told her his idea. "You will have to come in with me as my prisoner," he said. The woman stared at him with a blank expression. Gabriel was not entirely sure what he suggested even registered until a small smile turned up the corners of her mouth. It was followed by a chuckle, which then grew into a full-fledged laugh. Gabriel lifted his eyebrows and watched as the amusement ran its course and finally, wiping her eyes with her gloves, the woman nodded.